Drive system for advancing a web of plastic material in a metallizing apparatus



G. P. M GRAW, JR DRIVE SYSTEM FOR A April 24, 1962 3,030,912

DVANCING A WEB OF PLASTIC MATERIAL IN A METALLIZING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed April 15, 1960 lllllll ll. Ill-IIL INVENTOR 6. 2M0 GRAW JR. er xm y April 24, 1962 c. P. MCGRAW, JR 3,030,912

DRIVE SYSTEM FOR ADVANCING A was OF PLASTIC MATERIAL IN A METALLIZING APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet z IN VFA/ TOR c. Mme/a4 VIA-(ff.

0..C. ATTORA/E United States Patent Q 3,030,912 DRIVE SYSTEM FOR ADVANCING A WEB F PLASTIC MATERIAL IN A METALLIZING AP- PARATUS George P. McGraw, Jr., Downers Grove, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 22,511 Claims. (Cl. 118-49) This invention relates to a drive system for advancing a dielectric web in a metallizing apparatus and more particularly to a drive system for engaging and advancing a dielectric web of plastic material ata plurality of points in a metallizing apparatus to prevent the formation of wrinkles or other deformations during the metallizing operation.

In the fabrication of metallized webs of dielectric, the web is withdrawn from a supply roll thereof and guided through a metal vaporizer which deposits a layer of vaporized metal thereon and the metallized web is wound onto a rotatable take-up arbor which imparts advancing movement to the web. When the dielectric web is relatively thin and of a pliable plastic material the heat applied to the web as it passes through the vaporizing station softensand weakens it and renders it more readily deformable so that longitudinal stresses developed in the web incident to its advancement by the take-up roll tends to wrinkle the metallized web and render it unsuitable for use.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved drive system for advancing a dielectric web in a metallizing apparatus for reducing the strain in the Web.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved drive means in a metallizing apparatus engageable with a web of plastic material at a plurality of points for advancing the web with a minimum of stress to prevent the formation of wrinkles or other undesirable deformation therein.

With these and other objects in view, the invention contemplates the provision of a spindle for supporting a supply roll of dielectric plastic web in the vacuum chamber of a metall-izing apparatus, a plurality of guide rollers for guiding the web into a metal vaporizing device for applying vaporized metal to one side of the web, and a. take-up arbor for winding the metallized web thereon.

and imparting movement to the web. A lay down roller over which the web rides in contact therewith over a substantial peripheral distance is urged into engagement with the take-up arbor and the roll of metallized web wound thereon and is rotated by the advancing web in contact therewith and by the roll of metallized web. Drive means are provided interconnecting the lay down roller and selected guide rollers intermediate the supply roll and the metal vaporizing device for imparting rotation to the selected guide rolls to effect the withdrawal ofthe web from the supply roll thereof and the feeding of the web into the vaporizing device at the same speed as the metallized web is taken up by the take-up roll to eliminate stresses in the heated metallized portion of the web which tend to wrinkle the web.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a metallizing apparatus showing the improved drive means for advancing a Web therethrough; and

FIG. 2. is a vertical transverse sectional view through the apparatus taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the metallizing apparatus includes a spindle 12 for supporting a roll 14 of a thin dielectric web 16 of plastic material such as polyethylene BfiWfllZ Patented Apr. 24, 1962 terephthalate, polystyrene or cellulose acetate which is to be metallized. The spindle 12 is rotatably supported on a vertical frame plate 18 of the apparatus which frame plate cooperates with a dome-shaped cover 20 hingedly and removably mounted thereon and cooperable therewith to form a vacuum chamber 22 in which the metallization of the web occurs. The web 16 withdrawn from the supply roll 14 passes over a plurality of guide rollers 26, 27 and 28 through a metal vaporizing device 30, around a pair of idler guide rolls 32 and 33 and around a lay down roller 35 which urges the web into engagement initially with a take-up arbor 36 and later with a roll 37 of the metallized web wound thereon.

The lay down roller 35 is rotatably mounted on an arm 40 which is pivotally supported at 41 on the vertical frame plate 18, the arrangement being such that the lay down roller 35 is guided through a predetermined path and is urged by gravity toward and into engagement with the take-up arbor 36 and the roll 37 of metallized web thereon. The take-up arbor 36 is driven by a variable speed motor 38, the speed of which may be manually ad justed at intervals by external control means (not shown) to maintain a desired speed of the web as it builds up on the arbor.

The supply roll 14 of web is removably secured to the spindle 12 which is supported for free rotation and is connected through a chain and sprocket connection 45 to an electrically operated brake means 47 which is capable of being adjusted by manually operable externally mounted control means to adjust the tension of the web 16 unwound from the supply roll 14 to a desired condition.

The vaporizing device 30 vaporizes a suitable metal,

from the supply roll 14 and advancing it through the vaporizing device 30 and winding it onto the take-up arbor 36 produces longitudinal wrinkles and deformations in the metallized web and renders it unfit for use.

In order to reduce the stress applied to the web 16 and to prevent the formation of the wrinkles therein during the advancement thereof, means are provided for driving the guide rolls 26, 27 and 28 to withdraw the web 16 from the.

supply roll 14 and feed it into the vaporizing device 30 at the same speed that the web is being advanced around the lay down roller 35 and wound up on the take-up roll 37. The means for rotating the rolls 26, 27 and 28 comprises a sprocket 50 on the lay down roller 35 engageable with a chain 52 which engages an idler sprocket 54, a drive sprocket 56 on the idler roller 33, an idler sprocket 58 on a tensioning arm 59, a drive sprocket 60, and an idler sprocket 61. The idler sprockets 54 and 61 are mounted on flange 63 of the arm 40, and the drive sprocket 60 is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis 64 on the vertical frame plate 18. The tension arm 59 is pivotally mounted for oscillatory movement about the axis 64 and is urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 65 to maintain the chain 52 in engagement with its'sprockets. i

A second sprocket 68 (FIG. 2) fixed to the sprocket 60 for rotation therewith about the axis 64 is operatively connected by a chain 69 to drive sprockets 72-72 on the rollers 26, 27 and 28 for rotating these rollers in directions to advance the web 16. .The size of the drive sprockets 50, 56,60, 68, 72-72 and the diameters of and 33 are such as to rotate all of the rollers at the same peripheral speed to cause the unmetallized portion of the web 16 to be advanced by the rolls 26, 27 and 28 at the same speed as the metallized portion of the web is advanced by the lay down roller 35 and taken up by the take-up arbor 36 and the take-up roll 37. Thus, the rolls 26, 27 and 28 which are arranged relative to each other to be engaged over a substantial peripheral portion thereof by the web 16 serve to unwind the web 16 from the supply roll 14 and advance it into the vaporizing device 30 at the same velocity that the metallized portion of the web is being wound onto the take-up roll 37 and the arbor 36 so that only a relative light pulling force need be applied to the web by the lay down roller 35 to advance the metallized portion of the web 16 from the vaporizing device 30 onto the take-up arbor 36 and the take-up roll 37 and thereby avoid the deformation of the metallized web.

It is to be understood that the drive means interconnecting the rollers 26, 27, 28, 33 and 35 is shown diagrammatically in the drawings and that the chains and sprockets thereof may be and preferably are belts and pulleys of the type having intermeshing teeth thereon to insure a positive drive connection between the rollers without any slippage therebetween.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for metallizing a web of dielectric plastic material, means for vaporizing a metal and depositing the vaporized metal onto the web, means for supporting a supply roll of the web, an arbor, means for rotating said arbor to take-up the web and to advance the web through said vaporizing means, a lay down roller engageable through a substantial peripheral portion thereof with the metallized web and movable along a predetermined path toward said take-up arbor for guiding the Web onto said arbor and the roll of metallized web wound thereon, and means driven by said lay down roller for advancing said web into said vaporizing means at the peripheral speed of said lay down roller.

2. In an apparatus for metallizing a web of dielectric plastic material, a frame plate, a spindle rotatably mounted on said frame plate for supporting a supply roll of the web, means for vaporizing a metal and depositing the vaporized metal onto the web, a plurality of rollers for guiding the web from the supply roll to' said vaporizing means, an arbor rotatably mounted on said frame plate for taking up the metallized web, means for rotating said arbor to advance and take-up the web, a lay down roller engageable through a substantial peripheral portion thereof with the metallized web for guiding the web onto the take-up arbor and onto the roll of metallized web wound thereon, means on said frame plate for supporting said lay down roller for rotation and for movement through a predetermined path toward and into engagement with said take-up arbor, a plurality of rollers for guiding the web from said vaporizing means to said lay down roller, and means driven by said lay down roller for rotating said guide rollers in advance of and following said vaporizing means for advancing the web at the peripheral speedof said lay down roller. v

3. In an apparatus for metallizing a web of dielectric plastic material, a frame plate, a spindle rotatably mounted on said frame plate for supporting the supply roll of the web, means for vaporizing a metal and depositing the vaporized metal onto the web, a plurality of rollers for guiding the web from the supply roll to said vaporizing means, an arbor rotatably mounted on said frame plate for taking up the metallized web, means for rotating said arbor to advance and take-up the web, a lay down roller engageable through a substantial peripheral portion thereof with the metallized web for guiding the web onto the take-up arbor and onto the roll of metallized web wound thereon, means on said frame plate for supporting said lay down roller for rotation and for movement through a predetermined path toward and into engagament with said take-up arbor, a plurality of rollers for guiding the Web from said vaporizing means onto said lay down roller, and means driven by said lay down roller for rotating selected ones of said guide rollers in advance of and following said vaporizing means for advancing the web at the peripheral speed of said lay down roller.

4. In an apparatus for metallizing a web of plastic material, a frame plate, a member removably cooperable with said frame plate to form a vacuum chamber, a spindle rotatably mounted on said frame plate within said chamber for supporting a supply roll of the web, means for vaporizing a metal and depositing the vaporiied m'etal onto the web, a plurality of guide rollers for guiding and advancing the web from the supply roll to said vaporizing means, an arbor, means for rotating said arbor to take up the web and to advance the web through said vaporizing means, a lay down roller engageable through a substantial peripheral portion thereof with the metallized portion of the Web for guiding the web onto the take-up arbor and onto the roll of metallized web wound thereon, an arm for rotatably supporting said lay down roller, means for pivotally supporting said arm on said frame plate for movement through a predetermined path to guide said lay down roller into engagement with said take-up arbor and the roll of metallized Web thereon, and means driven by said lay down roller for rotating said guide rollers to advance the web at the peripheral speed of said lay down roller.

5. In an apparatus for metallizing a web of dielectric material, means for vaporizing a metal and depositing the vaporized metal onto the web, means for supporting a supply roll of the web, roller means for guiding the web from the supply roll to said vaporizing means, an arbor, means for rotating said arbor to take-up the web and to pull the web through said vaporizing means, a lay down roller engageable through a substantial peripheral portion thereof with the metallized web and movable along a predetermined path toward said take-up arbor for guiding the web onto said arbor and the roll of metalli z'ed web wound thereon, and means driven by said lay down roller for driving said roller means to advance the web into said vaporizing means at the peripheral speed of said lay down roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,662,697 Larson et al Dec. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 840,838 France May 4, 1939 

